Troy Quiets Butler Bats In 3-0 Loss

DAYTON — Three hits. That's all the Aviators could muster Tuesday night at Day Air Ballpark, and on a night when the bats went quiet, 3-0 is about right. Butler's offense — the same group that has amassed a league leading 120 runs — ran into the Trojans' Jake Reinhardt who was on, and even the best teams will have nights like that. The Trojans got on the board in the first inning when Colton Akins singled and the run came around to score. That was all the cushion Troy would need, as it turned out — they added two more in the fifth and that was the ballgame. Three runs, seven innings, and a final score that was never really in doubt after the middle innings passed without Butler finding an answer. What the final score doesn't tell you is what Jackson Schilling did on the mound. Ninety-eight pitches. Seven strikeouts. Five innings of grinding, competitive baseball that kept the Aviators within reach deep into the game. Every time Troy threatened to blow it open, Schilling found a way to limit the damage — he was able to work out of trouble all night, and the arm never stopped competing. On a night when Butler couldn't generate offense, Schilling gave them every opportunity to find some. That's the kind of outing you remember when tournament time comes around and your staff needs someone who won't flinch. Koby Dues followed with two perfect innings to close it out — no hits, no runs, two strikeouts, twenty pitches, thirteen strikes. As clean a relief appearance as you'll see. Butler's three hits — singles from Paxton Dwenger, Aidan White, and Jayden Rivas, with Dwenger and Rivas each reaching for doubles — came against a pitcher who simply wasn't giving anything away. The Aviators put the ball in play, turned one double play, and committed zero errors. They played the game right. Sometimes that's not enough and you shake hands and get on the bus. The bigger picture is this: Butler came into this series with Troy (9-1, 6-1) for two games against the league leader and left with a series split and a share of first place. When it comes to Miami Valley League Championship aspirations, the Aviators (9-1, 4-1) control their own destiny — and that’s all you can ask for. The road ahead is long, but that’s what this Butler program is built for — the long haul. Friday is West Carrollton at home, and this Butler team doesn't carry baggage from one game to the next. The bats (and the Aviators) will be just fine.